Ho! Ho! Ho! or No. No. No.

Good Monday morning! It is Thanksgiving week, and that means turkey, stuffing, and all things Christmas! To start off this festive season, let's have some fun. Tell me if these things are a yes or a no for you!

First up: Peppermint Hot Cocoa

For me, it's a hard no. I love peppermint. I love chocolate. Yet, never the two shall meet!

How about a beautifully dressed turkey, carved and sliced at the table?

I would love this. I would love to see this on our table, as in the movies. However, the annoying, realistic part of me always wins out when I think of all the drippy juice and mess it makes. We always end up plating it in the kitchen and doing it buffet style. And honestly, it works just fine.

Ok. How about It's A Wonderful Life? Is it a yearly tradition for you?

Again, I want to say yes. I recognize it is a beautiful Christmas tradition for so many. I just don't like it, which is weird for me because I am all about old, classic movies and literature. This, however, is a no for me. 

Now, this is more my style. How about you? With children at home or not, do you still get nostalgic and watch any of these classics at Christmas?

Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes for me. I rediscovered these when Madison was a baby; they are still part of my Christmas every year. There is something about watching Frosty or Rudolph that brings me peace and joy; for that short time, I am a kid again. I watched these special shows the one time a year they were on with my sisters in the cozy home my mom decorated so beautifully. And for the record, Rudolph will always be my favorite.

Next, how do you feel about eggnog?

Are you ready for this? I have never tried it and have no idea what it is, so I am open to any and all opinions!

Molasses Cookies

If you have never eaten a soft, chewy molasses cookie right out of the oven, you must make that a priority this year. There are many kinds of cookies at Christmas, but these are the best. And they are highly underrated. My mom used to make them, and now Peyton has perfected them. They taste like Christmas to me.

Finally, are you ever too old for Santa?

In a word, no. I am fifty-five years old, and on Christmas Eve, I still search the skies for Santa and his reindeer and listen for the sound of his sleighbells.

Please share your answers, my friends!

And have a cozy Monday.

Billie Jo

( Google for the fun images. )

The Friday Before It All Begins

Happy Friday, my friends! First, Flynn would like to thank you for all the Happy Birthday wishes! She enjoyed reading them as you posted and was so excited! Thank you again for your thoughtfulness. She had a great day.

And now, here we are. It is the weekend before Thanksgiving—the weekend before it all begins! We all have different ways of celebrating these upcoming weeks, and the planning and preparation begin now, if not already. Through the years, I have found that during this time, I am mainly like Buddy...

But sometimes, it all seems too much, and I feel more like Clark Griswald for a moment.

It is important to admit that among all the happy, cozy, festive, family, shiny posts you will see in the upcoming weeks, moments like this one exist. And that is ok. Even if we pledge to cut back and show ourselves some grace, we will have moments when we are overwhelmed. So keep that in mind, and enjoy your home and your family this Christmas season, even if you run out of tape during a late-night wrapping frenzy, forget to buy the special Cranberry Sprite, or if a couple of the bulbs on your prelit tree burn out. (That last one is tough for me!) Your family will remember you and the wonderful Christmastime you shared together.

Remember to stop and enjoy some special things we wait for all year, like Christmas music in the background or a few fun Christmas movies after dinner. In addition to the classics, Rudolph will always have my heart; here are a few of our favorites for the older family members.

This airs on Roku.

Love this one.

This is so good!

And this is new this year!

This weekend, we are decorating our home for Christmas! It is our first in this house, and we are anxious to see how things look. I already did our bedroom and decided to add a soft blanket and some comfy pillows to the quilt we already have. I like the look, and I can keep it up after Christmas.

When the kids were young, we decorated the entire house the day after Thanksgiving. I would carry the tubs up from the basement, and we would turn our home into Christmas as if Cinderella's Fairy Godmother did it with her magic wand. I'm a bit older now and not ashamed to say I do more of this!

And look! Dunkin' has their Christmas cups!!!! Yay!

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends. And remember to thaw your turkey!

Billie Jo

Google for the images.

Fifteen

Flynn is fifteen! Yesterday, the baby that made our family complete turned fifteen. We had the best day celebrating her, culminating in a delicious dinner, complete with cake, presents, and games. Before I share all that, allow me to indulge in a few photos of my baby Flynn.

Flynn is laidback, easygoing, fun, intelligent, sensitive, thoughtful, and funny. She likes her new pup, Marty, frozen pizza, Dystopian Movies, pajama pants, being home, playing video games, and studying biology. She has a unique and amazing relationship with each one of her siblings, as well as Nicolas, Christopher, and Kyrstin. She won't eat rice or tomatoes and could listen to music twenty-four hours a day. She is the embodiment of God's answer to our prayers.

We celebrated with her favorite things, Taco Pie and Chocolate Cake. Then we played a trivia game all about Flynn, and we were so happy that Peyton joined us by phone! 

Madison made the delicious cake, Steve and Kyrstin helped assemble the taco pie, and Rhett supplied the comedic entertainment. I sat back in amazement that the little baby I held in my arms yesterday was now fifteen years old, content in the knowledge that I had enjoyed and appreciated every single moment. 

I want to remember:

Peyton asked Flynn last week what she wanted to do on her birthday. Without missing a beat, Flynn replied, "Stay home and receive gifts!"

Mission accomplished.

Happy Birthday, Flynn Grace!

Love you!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends!

Billie Jo

Taco Pie

Monday Morning Coffee

 

Good morning, my friends! Flynn captured this scene beautifully last evening as we drove from Pennsylvania to Maryland. And now we are here! We had a wonderful time, saw family and friends, and are filled to the brim with happy memories. Like going to Perkins for dinner after mass, then to Peyton's for a homemade ice cream cake she made to celebrate Flynn's upcoming birthday...

It was as amazing as it looks, and yes, tomorrow, my baby is fifteen. In other news, the dogs were treated to a spa day with a holiday package containing a bath with Gingerbread Shampoo and Conditioner and precious Christmas-themed accessories. 

Mocha

Cosmo

and Marty.

Finally, I was thinking about some random things yesterday. I would love to know your thoughts! 

1. I love my crewneck sweatshirts oversized! I cannot stand to feel constricted when I am in cozy clothes. Do you buy sweatshirts that are bigger than your other clothes, or is it me??

2. Do you have your Christmas tree up? I am in the camp of putting it up before Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the lights during the early darkness. Our tree is currently in the dining room in a box, patiently waiting for its debut.

3. Do you need to charge your cell phone during the day? I do, and it is driving me nuts! I charge it to a full charge overnight, and although I am currently addicted to a Christmas game, I don't use it that much. But then, I guess I do?

4. Does everyone in your house have an aversion to unloading the dishwasher? It is like an Olympic Sport here, seeing how long we can go, putting dirty dishes in the sink, pretending not to notice the clean ones inside the dishwasher. Or the cute magnet that says CLEAN hanging on the front. For the record, I usually cave!

Have a wonderful Monday, my friends. And remember, next week is Thanksgiving.

Billie Jo

Friday Again!?

 

Friday vibe around here!

I vividly remember lying in bed Monday night, mentally scheduling my week here in Pennsylvania. It was like I blinked, and suddenly, it was Friday. I am still trying to figure out how that works. In any case, here we are, with a week behind us and a weekend ahead. We had a busy week filled with all the things. Good things. Monday was a quiet homeschool day, and on Tuesday, we went to Peyton's for lunch, and then Steve's sister and her husband came for dinner and a visit by the fire. Wednesday, Flynn and I squeezed in some homeschooling before heading out to visit my Mom. Yay! We went to dinner with Margie and Chris afterward at our favorite place there. I ordered the same thing since high school: a steak and cheese sub with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.

While we were there, I saw two ladies walk in and sit down next to us. I recognized them immediately, although it had been close to ahmmm...forty years since I had seen them. They were my church's organist and director of the children's choir! One woman was also the mother of one of my dear friends, and I have fond memories of her. Although it took a moment for them to recognize me, she grabbed my hand and held it tight once they did. We had a wonderful visit, and I am so happy I could see them again. Yesterday, Steve and his brother and some friends went to camp to do whatever it is they do there to prepare for hunting season, while Flynn and I had a homeschool day, and then Steve and I joined his brother Todd and his wife Beth at a practice meal at our friends' new Habichi restaurant. It was so nice! They open tonight, and Jon and Erica invited us to dinner for a final run-through. The food was delicious! And it is beautiful. There are no pictures of the food. Because it was that good!

Camp stuff.

My stuff.

A quick selfie to check in with my sister to let her know I am almost ready to leave!

As Madison said, "Gram is always with it. Taking a selfie at 87." We had a wonderful visit, and I was so happy Mom immediately recognized me and was so excited to see Steve and Flynn, too. We held hands and FaceTimed the older kids. Madison said, "Hi, Gram! It's Madison!" My Mom replied, "Yes. I can see you. Isn't this phone something?" I realize all her moments are not this. I know that sometimes the disease gets hold of her and won't let go, and I am so thankful for Margie, who is there in those times as well. I take every moment I have with my momma as a gift to be cherished. I refuse to let Alzheimer's steal that joy from us. 

More pretty pictures of God saying Good Morning. 

And a live-action shot of me snuggled in my unmade bed with these two, who are not quite ready to say goodnight!

Today, Steve and I are running some errands. I need to get to the bank and visit some friends at the cemetery. We lost our dear Linda, our priest friend Father Ross' mom, last spring. I have yet to see her resting place and want to pay her a visit today. She was a wonderful friend.

After our errands, I am making this delicious dessert to take to my bestie Heather's for our Bachelorette Finale night! I have not seen any spoilers from the show on Wednesday, so it should be a good time!

Butterfinger Lush

Tomorrow will be mass and dinner, and then Sunday, we are packing up and heading back to Maryland! I am so sorry I have not visited much lately. Please know I miss checking in on you and plan to get back into some semblance of routine soon! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Billie Jo